I'm not defending Samsung but I don't think this comparison is entirely fair. Apple only has two models whilst Samsung has lots of different models so comparing Apple's entire smartphone portfolio against just one Galaxy model is rather pointless. Why not add in all the Samsung smartphones and see how the two brands stack up then. Samsung are not trying to build a one product business like Apple, they are trying to build a many product business so theoretically there is a product for everyone. It's an entirely different philosophy. I certainly would not make any investment decisions based on this report.

The stock market analysts do. And the stock market analysts make nearly unattainable expectations for Apple. They had one of their best years and their stock price plummeted; not because of performance but because they "didn't meet analyst expecations". I don't expect Apple to fade away like BlackBerry or even hold a spot like Microsoft in the mobile phone market. I just believe the onslaught of Android devices of all form and fashion over the past 4 years has finally started to take its toll on Apple's shipments.

That was my joke. I don't think that Android is eating too far into iOS shares. As far as the 3.5-4" high end phone market, Apple has that securely locked down.

But on a side note: to those who didn't read the article AND skipped over the graph:

The 4s individually outsold the S3 in Q4
The iPhone 5 individually outsold the S3 in Q4

Holy crap... while I can understand people rooting for Apple (myself included) the distortion and propaganda around here is mind-boggling at times.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MuddyPaws1

Not exactly apples to apples is it?

What?

If I ask "What are the top 3 grossing movies this weekend?" that's an interesting question.

You then want to know "But which studio made more money if you add up all of their films?" Ok, that's another interesting question, but it does not make my question bad, or wrong, or propaganda. It's just a different fact. You asking a new question does not negate mine or make it irrelevant.

I agree. Can anyone give a good reason why Samsung's older model was not including when Apple's older model was included? After all, just like the iPhone 4S...the S2 is still on sale in many markets (even with a similar pricing model).

Yes. Pretty simple. They only included the top 3 models in this table.

Now let's compare the combined iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S sales with the combined Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S2 sales, shall we? And if that doesn't help, let's also add the iPhone 4 and the Galaxy S to the mix.

Are those ridiculous statistics really necessary? By now everybody already knows that Samsung sells more UNITS than Apple while Apple still has a larger profit margin because they only sell devices in the high-end price segment.

And unless Apple all of a sudden also enters the low-end price segment (i.e. smartphones WITHOUT contract for LESS than 99 USD), those figures won't magically change.

If only there was a way to vote down the people not bothering to actually read the article though. The fact that the 4S alone sold more than the GS3 is testament to Apple's staying power. Samsung on the other hand seem only capable of making little blips that quickly dissipate.

If you're going to include 4S and 5, then you should also include S2 and Blaze. This is an unfair comparison - to take just the S3 but to include both 4S and 5.

This is exactly right, the SII should be included with the SIII numbers, if the 4s and 5 numbers are being used. The SII was still on sale, I believe, the entire time the sIII was available, and at a lower price, obviously. Some of that 70+ % is the SII, probably 10+%!

This is exactly right, the SII should be included with the SIII numbers, if the 4s and 5 numbers are being used. The SII was still on sale, I believe, the entire time the sIII was available, and at a lower price, obviously. Some of that 70+ % is the SII, probably 10+%!

Not an android fanboy either, I have an iPhone 5.

You didn't read the article. Both the 4s and 5 independently outsold the S3.

This is exactly right, the SII should be included with the SIII numbers, if the 4s and 5 numbers are being used. The SII was still on sale, I believe, the entire time the sIII was available, and at a lower price, obviously. Some of that 70+ % is the SII, probably 10+%!

Not an android fanboy either, I have an iPhone 5.

But then they should put the iPhone 4 in. And then I'm sure there's some other Samsung phone they should put in, and then...

And before you know it, you've changed the article from "The top 3 phones" to "Apple vs. Samsung."

Again, that's interesting too, but why are people so adamant that we can't have this specific article...? They simply have to morph it into something else to be happy.

That was my joke. I don't think that Android is eating too far into iOS shares. As far as the 3.5-4" high end phone market, Apple has that securely locked down.

But on a side note: to those who didn't read the article AND skipped over the graph:

The 4s individually outsold the S3 in Q4
The iPhone 5 individually outsold the S3 in Q4

I see what you're saying now.

And as a side note to your side noteStrategy Analytics' numbers are of course an estimate, given that Apple does not break down iPhone sales by model and Samsung does not even release handset shipment data.

Now let's compare the combined iPhone 5 and iPhone 4S sales with the combined Galaxy S3 and Galaxy S2 sales, shall we? And if that doesn't help, let's also add the iPhone 4 and the Galaxy S to the mix.

Are those ridiculous statistics really necessary? By now everybody already knows that Samsung sells more UNITS than Apple while Apple still has a larger profit margin because they only sell devices in the high-end price segment.

And unless Apple all of a sudden also enters the low-end price segment (i.e. smartphones WITHOUT contract for LESS than 99 USD), those figures won't magically change.

Ok hmmm lets combine the total iPhone 4, 4S ans 5 sales to the whole entire Galaxy line total sales..the 4/4S/5 outsold the whole entire Galaxy line by like 60 million

It may be a fair comparison, but the usefulness of the comparison depends on how you define "Android".

I'm not sure why a phone running an OS derived from the Android codebase but doesn't used Google services or meet Android compatibility requirements should be counted with actual Android phones. Likewise, cheap phones sold with Android 2.x aren't exactly a huge benefit to moving the platform forward.

I am getting the feeling people don't understand this chart. It's the top three phones and both the iPhone 4S and 5 outsold the S3 individually. I don't get how people aren't even reading it all and then posting.